"A freakish athleticism that I don't think he has ever been able to match" - Novak Djokovic's peak season was 2011, says tennis analyst
Tennis analyst Gill Gross believes that Novak Djokovic's 2011 season was better than his 2015 one. Gross recently stated that the World No. 1 was in a different zone in 2011, with "freakish athleticism" and "a fierce determination".
In 2015, Djokovic recorded a staggering 82 wins while losing only six, and clinched a total of 11 titles. That included all the Grand Slams except the French Open.
The Serb made it to eight Masters 1000 finals that year, clinching the trophies in Indian Wells, Miami, Monaco, Rome, Shanghai and Paris. He also triumphed at the ATP Finals, beating 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer in the final.
In the latest episode of Monday Match Analysis, tennis analyst Gill Gross dissected Djokovic's incredible campaigns in 2011 and 2015. He maintained that while the 24-time Slam champion's performance in 2015 was dominant, it was not as "striking."
"There's probably the most candidates for Djokovic. For me, 2015 was dominant, it's just not my answer, for some reason I am not passionate about his level in 2015. I am not saying it wasn't incredible, I am just saying, to me it wasn't as striking as a couple of the other candidates [top performing seasons for Djokovic]," Gross said.
Gross also believes that the level of competition had dropped in 2015.
"And maybe that is because I feel like some of his competition went down a little bit there. Maybe it's my own shortcoming and I just don't have great analysis to go with the 2015 argument, and that's why I don't like the 2015 argument," he added.
Making the argument for Djokovic's 2011 season, Gross said the Serb had an "indestructible confidence" back then as he was proving his doubters wrong.
"But for me 2011, where you know he had a new level of fitness that he was able to unlock in 2011. There was a fierce determination there, a chip on his shoulder, a level of indestructible confidence when he went on that winning streak," Gross said.
He added that the Serb's athleticism and physical condition in 2011 were incredible.
"He was in an incredible zone in 2011, with a freakish athleticism that I don't think maybe he has ever been able to match, endurance-wise. He couldn't miss and he never got tired and his movement was unbelievable, and he was serving well. So that's 2011," Gross added.
Novak Djokovic's 2011 season was extraordinary. He registered a 70-6 win-loss record that year and added 10 titles to his collection.
The Serb won the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open, in addition to clinching five Masters 1000 titles - Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Rome and Montreal.
"An immunity to pressure and a tactical genius" - Tennis analyst on Novak Djokovic's 2023 campaign
In 2023, Novak Djokovic ended the year as World No. 1 for a record eighth time as he registered 56 wins and seven losses, collecting seven ATP titles. In addition to clinching two Masters 1000 titles in Cincinnati and Paris, the Serb also lifted the Australian Open, Roland Garros and the US Open.
Djokovic became the first player in the Open era to win 24 Grand Slam titles. The 36-year-old also won the ATP Finals for a record seventh time, going past Federer's record of six season-ending championships.
In the same episode of the Monday Match Analysis, tennis analyst Gill Gross said that in 2023, the reigning US Open champion dealt with pressure incredibly well.
"But in 2021 and 2023, those two years, there was an immunity to pressure. Now 2021, maybe you know, you look at it and I guess in the end the nerves did get to him a little bit, so I'll just go 2023," Gross said.
Gross further opined that in 2023, while Djokovic displayed tactical superiority, his level of athleticism was not what it was before.
"There is an immunity to pressure, a tactical genius and a well-roundedness, where I do think there is an argument there. But athletically, he is not the same as he used to be even though he deserves a ton of praise and admiration for how well he has maintained or preserved the athleticism. It's still not at the level that it used to be," Gross said.
"So, I think my answer for Novak ultimately, gun to my head, is 2011," he added.